This Earth Day will be bigger than ever, offering the public the opportunity to join events around the world as it will be mostly virtual again in response to COVID-19.
Here’s how you can join in. Earth Day will be celebrated with live, interactive events in Kansas City and worldwide. So, participants can safely attend from home for the week surrounding Earth Day, April 22. Find thousands of virtual events, film screenings, kid’s activities and celebrations at EarthDay.Org. Since events are mostly virtual, you can participate well beyond your city, state or country’s activities.
On the first Earth Day in 1970, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin inspired more than 20-million Americans (10 percent of the population at the time) to gather at “teach-ins,” rallies and protests to demand cleaner air and water. Those efforts launched the modern environmental movement that led to the passage of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act.
In Kansas City, there are many free, mostly virtual events with topics ranging from climate solutions to renewable energy, composting, recycling. In-person, outdoor events include Drive Electric Earth Day and a StoneLion Puppet show. Events are listed below by sponsoring organizations. Click on the links to find more information and instructions on how to participate. If your organization would like to include an event, please email details to Greenability Weekly using Submit an Event.
The Climate Council of Greater Kansas City is hosting these 2021 Earth Festival (EF21) events:
Saturday, April 17
11 a.m. Climate Speakers Forum, Climate Council of Greater KC
Featuring AY Young, 2020 United Nations Youth Leader &
Howie Hawkins, Green Party co-founder
1 p.m. Climate Solutions Supercharged, Kansas City Drawdown Society
2 p.m. Composting Food Waste & Trying To Stop It, Missouri Organic Recycling
3 p.m. “Sew”-stainability, The Sewing Labs
4 p.m. Tech, It Does a Planet Good, Re.Use.Full
5 p.m. Carbon Footprint Eating, Carbon Footprint Eating
7 p.m. Heart & Soil, CinemaKC
Sunday, April 18
11 a.m. KC’s Regional Climate Action Plan, Climate Action KC
1 p.m. Federal Carbon-Pricing Legislation, Citizens Climate Lobby KC
2 p.m. Microplastics and the Environment, Aquatic Ecology Lab
3 p.m. Renewable Energy Programs & Incentives, Renew Missouri
4 p.m. Compost and Compassion, KC Can Compost
5 p.m. How to Go Solar the Right Way, Heartland Renewable Energy Society
7 p.m. After Party: Live Music & Conversation
Organizations hosting additional Earth Day events, include:
Saturday, April 17
2 p.m. Starting Small: Simple Steps to a More Sustainable Lifestyle – The Resilient Activist
Sunday, April 18
11 a.m. Drive Electric Earth Day, Target parking lot, 17810 E. 39th St. S, Independence, MO
2 p.m. Stormwater Sunday Earth Day Celebration, The Little Red Hen’s Community Garden puppet show, 2400 E. Truman Road, Kansas City, MO – StoneLion Puppet Theatre
Monday, April 19
1 p.m. Read Aloud of A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet – Kansas City, KS Public Library
Monday, April 19 – Sunday, April 25
Missouri Show-Me Green Sales Tax Holiday
Thursday, April 22
4 p.m. Keeping Our Water Healthy: Native Plants & Watersheds, Missouri Prairie Foundation
Saturday, April 24
9 a.m. Interwoven: An Earth Month Retreat – The Resilient Activist
Sunday, April 25
11 a.m. Drive Electric Earth Day, 16905 Jowler Creek Road, Platte City, MO
3 p.m. Power of Respect for Climate Resilience & Recovery – The Resilient Activist